First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum with Peptides Versus Skinfix Acne+ Adapinoid Gel

First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum with Peptides Versus Skinfix Acne+ Adapinoid Gel

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinyl Propionate and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This acne treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Oleyl Adapalenate to clear breakouts and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Retinyl Propionate

Retinol

Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Citric Acid

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Dimethiconol

Disodium EDTA

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Laureth-4

Mica

Polysorbate 20

Polysorbate 60

Propanediol

Sodium Citrate

Sorbitan Isostearate

BHT

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Benzoate

CI 77891

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Retinyl Propionate, Retinol, Pentapeptide-34 Trifluoroacetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Laureth-4, Mica, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Propanediol, Sodium Citrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77891

Squalane

Solanum Tuberosum Pulp Extract

Niacinamide

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Pisum Sativum Peptide

Sodium Hyaluronate

Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract

Oleyl Adapalenate

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Tocopherol

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract

Galactoarabinan

Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex

Maltodextrin

Schizophyllan

Polylysine

Tripeptide-1

Xanthan Gum

Magnesium Stearate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Butylene Glycol

Dextran

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Squalane, Solanum Tuberosum Pulp Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Pisum Sativum Peptide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Oleyl Adapalenate, Glycerin, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Tocopherol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Galactoarabinan, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Maltodextrin, Schizophyllan, Polylysine, Tripeptide-1, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dextran, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.

Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.

The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).

Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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